1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to an ink cartridge and, more specifically, to an ink cartridge comprising an electronic circuit board with an electrical interface.
2. Description of Related Art
An image recording apparatus records an image on a recording sheet using ink. The image recording apparatus includes an inkjet recording head and selectively ejects ink droplets from nozzles of the recording head onto a recording sheet. The ink droplets land on the recording sheet to record a desired image on the recording sheet. The image recording apparatus includes an ink cartridge storing ink therein to supply ink to the recording head. The ink cartridge may be removably installed in a cartridge mounting portion provided in the image recording apparatus.
The ink cartridge may include an electronic component, e.g., a data storage device, to store data relating to ink color, ink material, a residual amount of ink, and a maintenance condition. The data storage device includes a connection electrode portion. The connection electrode portion is electrically connected with a contact disposed on the cartridge mounting portion when the ink cartridge is installed in the cartridge mounting portion. Data stored in the data storage device may be read via the contact.
A stable electrical connection is required between the connection electrode portion of the data storage device provided in the ink cartridge and the contact of the cartridge mounting portion. If dust adheres to the connection electrode portion or a surface of the connection electrode portion is changed over time to have, for example, an oxide film formed thereon, the stable electrical connection between the connection electrode portion and the contact may not be maintained. Accordingly, reading data from the data storage device may become unstable or impossible.